WNBA players say life in Russia was lucrative but lonely

For the elite athletes in the WNBA, spending the off-season by playing in Russia can mean earning more money than they can make back home — sometimes even two or three times as much.

However, those who have experienced it also speak of the loneliness of being far from loved ones, the struggle with a foreign language and culture, as well as the challenges of living in a cold climate with very little sunlight and temperatures below freezing.

Brittney Griner is one such player who has traveled to Russia in recent times to make more money. The two-time Olympian has had to endure a nightmare.

Her arrest occurred at a time when there were increased political tensions about Ukraine.

The Associated Press reached out to a half-dozen American players to share their experiences playing in Russia. Griner was not the only one who felt this way, but many players described isolation and boredom as well as basketball.

“It was hard to play there because the lifestyle is very different than in America and Europe.” saidDeLisha Milton-Jones is one of the most prominent American players who toured Russia in 2000.

“The extremes of the weather — it’s pitch black dark at 5 p.m. Because it was minus-40 outside, I had to wrap up warm in my big jacket. said Milton-Jones, who played for UMKC Ekaterinburg — the same team as Griner.

Former All-American at Florida, WNBA All-Star, and two-time WNBA champion for the Los Angeles Sparks saidThe decision to play in Russia was purely a business one.

Russia offers many benefits.

The league had a marketing agreement with top WNBA players in 2000, which allowed them to earn $125,000 US per annum. The average salary for elite players today is $500,000. These players can also earn an additional $1 million to $1.5 Million by playing in Russia.

The apartments provided by the teams have similar features to what players are used to in the WNBA. They include Western-style laundry facilities and access to streaming and video calls.

Milton-Jones, 47 years old, was a member of other European leagues. saidRussia was the country that paid the highest amount at the time. UMKC Ekaterinburg, a destination that continues to attract players, was the highest paid.

‘[We] did everything five-star’

Milton-Jones helped the club win their first EuroLeague title. Shabtai Kalmanovich was the team’s owner. He changed the standard for pay and living in Russia for WNBA players before he was killed in Moscow in 2009.

“We chartered. Milton-Jones: “We chartered. saidThis was the USA Basketball training camp that I attended earlier in the month. He would treat us like royalty. He would send us to France for a weekend, and give us thousands to shop on a private plane. You didn’t care about the club or where the money came from. You were there to get a job.”

Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Kalmanovich spent many years in Russia. They both spoke of the luxurious living conditions and lavish trips he would offer.

Bird once said, “Everything literally is first-class.” said. “We are staying in the finest hotels. We travel to Paris. We stay in Paris’s bomb hotel.

The treatment at Ekaterinburg is continuing.

“My experience in Russia was amazing to be truthful.” saidBreanna Stewart has been playing for Ekaterinburg ever since 2020. “They ensure that they look after the players by chartering everywhere.

“It was a struggle”

Milton-Jones remembers the different way life was 20 year ago, back when smartphones and the internet were very new.

She recalled, “Back in the day you had to go to a cigarette shop to buy scratch-off cards. Then you would type that number into the phone and it will say you have 25 minutes to speak.” said. “We didn’t have the most popular apps on our phones today.” It was difficult.

Natisha Hiedeman from Connecticut Sun Guard, who spent the past season in Russia and returned to Connecticut in March, saidHer daily routine consisted of going the gym and coming home. The grocery store was her only other stop.

It’s difficult to go out when you don’t have the ability to communicate. It’s 10 times harder to do everything,” she stated. said. “I stayed in my house. It was a blessing that my dog was out there. [to] do stuff with him.”

Hiedeman saidBeing in Russia felt more lonely than being in Israel.

She stated, “In Israel, everyone was only 20 minutes apart, and there were many Americans around, so it was easier.” said. Russia is a large country and you needed to travel by plane to reach other teams.

Hiedeman was able to stay connected with her family using technology, despite time differences.

She stated, “I don’t know what the old cats used do without FaceTime,” said, laughing.

Brianna Turner was a teammate with Griner from the Phoenix Mercury. She also played in Russia in 2020-21. She competed in the Nika Syktyvkar team, which is based in Russia’s far northern European north.

She would often stay at home to watch movies and TV shows via her computer. Her team would often take her to the mall.

She stated that there wasn’t much else to do besides basketball. said.

“My city was extremely cold. The sun set at 3 when I arrived in the city. saidTurner is originally from South Bend, Indiana. “The weather was a major adjustment. It was even colder. It was even colder when you got up in the morning. It was cold every day.”